The Princess and the Spinner
by chemicalxrachel
Summary: She was young, rich and beautiful. He was older, poor and most thought not much to look at. That is until the princess laid eyes on him and she knew she wanted him. Problem is there is also something dark lurking in the seemingly sweet young princess. She sends word to have the spinner brought to the castle. What could the young princess want with the spinner?
1. Chapter 1

Summary: She was young, rich and beautiful. He was older, poor and most thought not much to look at. That is until the princess laid eyes on him and she knew she wanted him. Problem is there is also something dark lurking in the seemingly sweet young princess. She sends word to have the spinner brought to the castle. He is delighted to be finally spinning for royalty. But is spinning what the princess wishes from him?

In this story Rumplestiltskin isn't the Dark One, the curse of the Dark One is quite different and will be explained within the content.

A/N: This story has been in my brain for days and won't go away! I just have to write it down and I realized it was much more than a one shot so it couldn't go into my one shot project. Oh, in case nobody knows what that is...I'm going to work on a one shot project where I'll release a Rumbelle one shot every now and again under the same story title. I'm still working on the first one shot for that. But, this caught my brain, I began writing and yeah. I just realized this story would not be content at leaving it where I have. So, stay tuned for it.

Warning: There WILL be sex! This is rated M for a reason. Take heed dear readers. And I'd like to state I don't own Once Upon A Time or any characters. If I did...Rumple would be locked in my room and I would not be writing this lmao.

Read and enjoy!

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Chapter 1:

Not much intrigued the young princess of Avonlea, not anymore. During her youngest years she'd spent in libraries being educated about things most women of her time couldn't even comprehend. Politics, war, science, and history were her favorites. Any subject she could get her hands on. She used to be bright and bubbly, a happy young girl, and then something changed her. Changed her into something she wouldn't even recognize.

The thing that'd changed her was her marriage to the young knight Gaston. Her father had forced her into the union, and she turned to her books in desperation. In turning to her books, she uncovered something dark, a dark old magic, a magic as old as time itself. She'd sought this magic to save herself from her fates, save her from the man she was supposed to marry.

Of course, it didn't save her, not fully. All magic does come with a price after all, and now she felt almost trapped within herself. Oh it didn't save her from her marriage, not completely. She still wed to Gaston and had to endure him, but her new found magic set her apart from the rest, gave her a shell that she welcomed willingly.

In her life she felt empty, as though a piece of her were missing. She'd never felt this way before, but in her marriage she wasn't happy. Sure, Gaston was, but she was not. She loathed the man she was married to more than she'd care to admit. And she just knew another piece of herself was out there, somewhere, waiting to fulfill her and make her whole once more.

Things weren't right. She knew she was supposed to be _his_ light in _his_ darkness. Instead, darkness overcame her light, and she felt like she was drowning most of the time, drowning in a sea of blackness that overcame her as soon as she'd found the books about the oldest dark magic known to man kind.

Perhaps she were going crazy, going mad in her marriage to the knight. She dreaded her father passing on the throne, then she would become Queen, it wasn't something she desired, not at all.

Riding through town on their way back from church that afternoon, she looked outside the carriage window with a sigh. Thankfully she didn't ride with her husband, he'd been busy at some meeting of sorts, and she just rode with one of her maids.

Watching the townspeople boredly, Belle let out a sigh, leaning against the ledge as she blinked, her eyes falling upon a shop where a man worked just outside. Holding one hand up, her maid saw her and told the driver to stop, causing the carriage to stop just by the small shop. Looking up at the name of it, seeing that it was a spinning shop.

So, the man was a spinner.

Her eyes looked over him from the cover of her carriage, and his eyes turned up to meet it there. Certainly he couldn't see inside, but she could see him.

"Is something wrong m'lady?" the maid asked with concern.

"Who is that man?" she asked, tilting her head to one side. Why did she even care? He was a penniless spinner, what did it matter to her?

The maid sat up and looked out the window, blinking and shrugging. "A spinner I suppose.."

Something stirred inside her as she watched the mans brown eyes glass over with curiosity at the royal carriage sitting there. He was several years her senior, that was for sure, and he had the best brown eyes she'd ever seen. His face had stubble like most peasants, but it was not a full beard. And he was of average height it seemed with short messy brown hair atop his head.

Oh not much intrigued the young princess anymore, but something within her said this man intrigued her. And she just had to have him. For what, she wasn't completely sure yet.

Turning to look at her maid slowly. "Have him brought to the castle this afternoon."

Her maid looked shocked. "Are you certain?" she asked. When Belle gave her a stern look, she nodded. "Aye, m'lady." she replied. Leaning to open the door on her side, she stepped out to go speak to a guard.

When the maid got back into the carriage, Belle looked at her slowly.

"Its done, m'lady. He'll be at the castle shortly after us..." she said.

Belle nodded, glancing out of the window to see a guard walk up to the spinner and say something to him. "Good." she said, leaning back and chewing on her bottom lip. She had to figure out what it was about that man that made something flutter in her. Many wouldn't call him overly handsome, not women who cruised around in her circles anyway. Besides, he was a peasant and seemingly quite a few years her senior. But when her eyes laid upon him, something stirred deep inside her and she just had to know him, had to speak to him. She felt drawn to the peasant spinner. She would surely find out tonight.

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**A Few Hours Later**

They'd of course arrived at the castle in time, and she'd been told the spinner she requested was waiting for her in one of the many rooms of the castle. She didn't go straight to him, and she'd been told that he seemed quite confused as to why he was there. She'd given the orders to have him be given food and drink while she'd consulted her books.

The one book she needed held nothing she needed to know, and she closed it, frustrated. Picking it up, she stared at the old leather bound cover. The book was so old, probably one of the oldest ever known, written in the original language that few people could understand. Of course she could understand it, she could understand many languages, she'd had the best tutors in Avonlea growing up. And, growing up with her thirst for knowledge helped.

Looking over the cover, she sighed slowly. The title on the book read "The Dark One" and it'd been the very book she learned bits of magic from. It spoke of a creature that was a beast, a monster that could kill endlessly if he wished using magic. And it spoke of his beauty, his light that held him back from the darkest sides of himself. It was a record of the oldest tale in the world, a tale of two cursed souls destined to be together, a true love of sorts. A twisted true love.

The book held the stories, some magic tomes that opened up what had to be a magical side of her she'd never known existed before this book entered her life. She'd convinced herself that she was supposed to be one of the characters in this story. Could it possibly be that she was the beast, the darkness? Perhaps she'd gotten her symbols mixed up in reading the text. She sure felt dark most days now, she felt like people were expendable. Maybe if she found this other part of her that she knew she was missing, maybe then things would be clear.

A sigh came from her lips as she shook her head, resting the book down on the desk in her bedroom and opening a drawer with a key. Sticking the book in and hiding it, not quite locking it yet though.

Walking up to the full length mirror in her room, she reached up to pull the pin from her hair, letting her long chestnut curls fall over her shoulders. Reaching over to rest the pin on the vanity just nearby and moving her hands up, fluffing her curls up. She was a beautiful woman alright, she knew that, people always told her, spoke of how she was the beauty of Avonlea.

Her long dress that fell to the floor hugged her curves in just the right ways. The dress was a soft blue, the neck wide with the sleeves fallen off her shoulders. Gold trimmed the neck of the dress, and the sleeves went down her arms, gold around the cuffs as well. The bodice lace was a golden color too, tying behind her and the fabric fell to the ground to spool around her feet.

Running her hands up, she slowly took the earrings from her ears, placing them down and her fingers ran down the side of her neck, touching the beautiful golden necklace at her neck that fell down, a brilliant blue sapphire dangling just above her cleavage. Touching the stone, she sighed and closed her eyes before she reached back to take it off, resting it off to one side with her earrings.

Turning to her desk, she opened the drawer again and reached within it, slowly taking a dagger from the drawer. Bringing it up, she looked at the curved blade that had ornate decorations engraved on the blade itself. Turning it to look at the face of it where it was mostly blank except for one name, her own. Her name was engraved beautifully on the side of the blade closest to the hilt, and after her name there was a "&" symbol with a long blank space where another name should fit. Staring at the blade, she bit her bottom lip.

"Is this spinner the one?" she asked, gripping the hilt of her blade as she stared at it. No answer came to her of course and she sighed, considering bringing it with her to meet the spinner. Maybe then things would be clear. Shaking her head, she rested it back into the drawer, closing it and locking it with the key. Running her fingers along the keyhole, magic sealing it before she moved to put the key in her bedside table.

It was time to meet the spinner.

Taking in a deep breath, she walked out of her room and started towards where she'd been told the spinner was kept. It was at least three hours since he'd been brought there, the sun was starting to set over Avonlea and the cloak of night would overtake the county soon enough.

Walking down the steps gracefully towards where he was being kept, her heart beating faster as she walked, getting closer to him. And once she was outside the door she felt as though her heart were nearly beating out of her chest. Taking in a deep breath, she reached to open the door and step in, closing it behind her.

He sat in one of the chairs in the room looking around with a bored expression. Of course it couldn't be too fun for him sitting there. When the door opened, he looked up to the beauty that walked in, the Princess herself. Sure, everyone knew the princess, but no peasant got this close to her before.

She looked him over, her eyes scanning him. He looked just as he did in town, he was only a bit taller than her and did look older, she wasn't quite sure how much older. And he wore a simple white tunic with white pants that were both dirty and faded with brown boots that looked as though they'd seen better days.

"How old are you?" her voice said, looking him up and down with curiosity in her brilliant blue eyes. Her voice was soft as her eyes moved up to meet his.

He seemed nervous, and he was. Taking in a breath as he looked at her. "I...I am thirty-seven years majesty..." he said, his voice thick with his Scottish accent that made her insides tremble.

Slowly she nodded as she stepped up to him, looking up at his face. "And your name is?"

"Rumplestiltskin..."

Another nod came from her as she crossed her arms slowly across her chest so she wouldn't reach out to touch him. "Quite a strange name. I like it though. You are a spinner in town, I presume?"

He nodded slowly. "Aye, m'lady..." he answered, watching her curiously, still wondering what the Princess of Avonlea could want from him. He was just a poor spinner, one of many in town surely. He was dying to come out and ask her, ask why he was there. But, she was a princess, he was a peasant, he had no right to address her without being asked. Really, he'd never thought he would ever stand in the same room as the young, beautiful woman.

"I quite like your accent. Where are you from...Rumplestiltskin?" she asked.

When his name rolled off her tongue it sent shivers through him, made the hair on the back of his neck stand on ends in a good way. It caused the breath to catch in his throat as he looked down at her. She was a bit shorter than him, and he wasn't a tall man to begin with, either. "Many thanks, m'lady. I hail from Glasgow, Scotland majesty..."

She nodded a little, crossing her arms across her chest. "Quite a journey from Glasgow. Can't say I've ever been. What brought you to Avonlea?"

"Work, majesty. I needed to find a job to care for my family..."

Her fingers gripped her arms a little when he mentioned a family. Of course he had a family, most men did. "Family? What sort of family?"

"A wife and son, majesty..." he said slowly. Yeah he was married but it wasn't anything particularly wonderful. Truthfully his wife Mila despised him and their life together, and she was never silent about it. They were an arranged marriage when they were both very young and forced into it. The best thing to come from their marriage was their son Baelfire.

Nodding a little, Belle slowly walked around to his side. Reaching up, she brushed her fingers through his hair to brush it behind his ear, looking up at his face. It sent a tingle of electricity through her to touch him and she wanted to do it again. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair, to feel him pulled flush against her.

The thoughts spinning in her mind made her shudder and pull her fingers back, caressing her hand in her other one as she glanced off to one side, trying to collect herself. What was it about this man that made her want him so? She wanted him in ways she'd never imagined she could, he made something stir within her.

She wasn't the only one whose mind was spiraling. Rumplestiltskin felt the same electricity at her touch, it made him grip his hands into tight fists in order to continue standing still. Looking over at her, seeing the way she looked away, he took in a deep breath. "A-Apologize m'lady...but...but might I ask why I was brought here?"

Looking back at him, she took in a breath and nodded a bit. "How learned are you, Rumplestiltskin? Can you read and write?"

"A little..."

Nodding a bit, she knew not many of the peasants were illiterate. "What do you know of the legends of the Beauty and the Beast?" she asked curiously.

"Not much m'lady...its a fairy tale I know. A beautiful woman tames a man who is said to be untamable..." he said, watching her curiously.

A chuckle came from her lips as she shook her head. "Such simple telling of it.." she said, looking down. "There is much more to that tale than people say. And it is not a simple fairy tale." she said, turning her eyes up to look at him. "It is the truth. A tale as old as time itself, magic as old as time itself. Can you, a simple spinner, even comprehend such a thing? A magic so strong, so deadly..."

Watching her, he was confused. "I know of magic, Princess. Magic isn't something to be messed with."

"Perhaps not..." she said with a shrug. Looking at him, she crossed her arms across her chest tightly in attempt to do something with her hands. "Its addicting, magic. You know...the tale of the beauty and the beast says that the beast was overwhelmed by magic...a dark, dark magic. And she saved him from that, it is their curse to bare together."

"You shouldn't play with dark magic, majesty..." he whispered slowly, looking at her. His eyes met hers and he took in a breath. They were quite a brilliant blue color.

She gave him a small smile. "Some people...have no choice in the matter.." she said in a soft whisper. Stepping up to him so she stood just inches from him as she looked up into his brown eyes. "You have a job here at the castle...if you'd like it, Rumplestiltskin. I assure you'll be well paid, quite better paid than you would in that shop of yours..." she said, the subject changing in an instant.

Though he heard her, he wasn't sure he heard the right words, he must have been mishearing something. "Pardon? You're going to give me a job? What...type of job?" he asked, wondering what she could possibly want with him.

A giggle came from her at his question, shrugging a little. "Spinning of course." she answered, keeping her eyes up on his, locking his gaze with hers. "Unless you don't want it..." she said. Slowly she unfolded one arm from her chest, reaching up to run her fingers along his shoulder, her eyes following her fingers before looking back up at his face. She just had to touch him, she felt as if she didn't touch him than she'd explode.

Taking in a deep breath, she could smell him with how close she stood. He smelled of the forest and something unmistakably him, unmistakably male. She delighted in his scent in ways she never did her husbands. Closing her eyes halfway as she turned her eyes up to look into his, slipping her fingers up his shoulder and running her fingertips along the side of his neck. "You intrigue me, Rumplestiltskin. Not many people can do that. In fact none can quite intrigue me like this. I wonder why..."

He gulped slowly, feeling her smooth fingertips along the skin of his neck making his pulse quicken. She was a very, very beautiful woman that he knew, and he'd be a fool if he wasn't attracted to her. Her standing this close almost suffocated him with want to touch her, to feel her, to grab her shoulders and crush her to him in a way he'd never felt with his wife. And he instantly felt guilty about it.

"I...I don't know...m-m'lady..." he muttered slowly, attempting to keep his instincts in control. What was it about this woman that was driving him mad?

Another smile came over her as she watched his brown eyes darken with desire at her touch. Leaning up slowly, she leaned close to his ear before she whispered softly. "You know...I like a man that can take what he wants, Rumplestiltskin. And I'll have you know, my name is Belle. Its just us here, why the formalities?" she asked in her soft whisper. Leaning back down so she could look up into his eyes.

He gulped slowly at her words, a shudder running down his spine as he slowly moved his hands up. Resting his hands on her forearms, slowly gripping her tightly through the fabric of her dress, making sure not to hold her too tight, though. Looking down at her, he pulled her up so her chest was flush against his, her face just inches from his. Leaning down, he claimed her lips with his in a hard, almost crushing kiss.

A groan came from her as she let her eyes fall closed once his lips touched hers. Her fingers rest against his chest as she leaned up on her toes a little to press close to him. Tilting her head to one side slowly as she kissed him, deepening the kiss slowly.

They both felt something as their lips moved against one anothers. His tongue moved out to touch along her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth to comply, her tongue moving out to meet with his, to taste his mouth even better. Their tongues moved along each other as though they were old friends reunited after so long apart.

Wiggling her arms free from his grasp to move her arms up and around his neck, pulling him even closer, leaning up more on her toes so she could be more level headed with him.

And once his hands let go of her arms, moving down to slowly cup her ass, bringing her up close to him as he gripped her.

Gently she shifted to step backwards, pulling him with her so her lips didn't break the connection with his. Her butt hit against the table that was in the room that he'd been eating from just earlier. And he took the hint. Hoisting her up so she sat against the desk and she could feel the sheer strength in his arms, the strength of a man who worked hard for a living. Shifting her legs spread and bringing him up in-between them, her dress still in the way of him being too close to her.

It was like everything happened at that moment, a dam burst within both of them at the feel of lips on lips. He became quite a bit bolder than he had before. His hands slid up and down her back slowly as he broke the kiss, leaning to start tracing kisses along her jaw and down the side of her neck.

Her smell was intoxicating, her skin was oh so smooth under his lips. She felt like soft velvet against him and smelled of lavender, vanilla and roses all mixed together.

His lips traced along her shoulder before he leaned up to claim her lips again. One hand moved up to tangle within her hair, gripping her chestnut curls in his hand. His mind was spinning. Was he really standing here, kissing the Princess of Avonlea, the most beautiful woman in the provence? It must be a dream, some sort of amazing dream he'd wake up from to find his wife laying beside him in their bed. He'd never felt this kind of passion for the woman he shared a life with.

Sparks ignited behind her eyelids from his kisses, a soft moan coming from her lips. Her fingers slid up and started to pull at the ties to his tunic. Once she got the ties undone, she reached down to unbuckle the belt around his waist atop of the garment. Pushing it off, she pulled the tunic loose and leaned back from the kiss to pull it up and off, tossing it to one side of the room.

Looking up at him, her eyes studying his chest. He wasn't the overly muscular type, he was more slim but handsome all the same. Leaning forward, she gently kissed the middle of his chest, closing her eyes halfway as her lips tasted his skin. Slowly she kissed to his right nipple, taking the small bud into her mouth, running her tongue along it, hearing the man it belonged to gasp and moan out.

Smiling, she leaned back from his chest, leaning up to claim his lips again. Feeling his hands move down her back over the ties of her bodice, his fingers played with one of the ties, almost asking permission. Smiling, she nodded against his kiss. "Do it." she whispered into his lips. "Please do it, Rumple.." she muttered.

At her words, he pulled at the ties of her dress, pulling it loose and leaning back from the kiss to help her pull the dress down. It was a lot fancier than anything his wife wore, and to him it wouldn't look nearly as good on Mila as it did on Belle. It definitely wouldn't look as good coming off, either.

Belle shifted the dress down, shifting up as he helped get it past her butt and letting the fabric fall to the ground, kicking her feet a little to get the fabric off. Moving her feet to push her shoes off before she laid back on the table, bringing her long legs around his waist, pulling him up against her.

A moan came from her as she felt how hard he was for her. It made her grip him tighter, her knee moving up a little as she pulled him close to her core. Tilting her head back against the table, closing her eyes as she moaned out. "Rumplee..."

Taking in a breath, she opened her eyes halfway, glancing over at the door. Holding one hand up, pointing at it so the door would magically lock and seal. The spell she spun went along the walls, soundproofing the room, too. She didn't want any disturbances right then. Looking up at him with a small smile, seeing his eyes were everywhere at the same time.

She was nearly naked in front of him except for the white cotton panties she wore. Bras weren't too in fashion yet, most of the time the bodice held them in place. "Like what you see?" she asked, shifting her hips to rub herself against him a little.

Resting his hands on the table at either side of her, he let out a moan at the feel of her grind against him like that. Nodding slowly, he leaned down to kiss her belly button, running his tongue against her taut skin, looking up at her face. "Aye...I do. You're the most beautiful woman in the world, Belle...you must know that..." he said. Running his hands to run his fingers along her sides slowly, feeling her skin.

Her skin was velvety smooth while his was rough from work. He had the hands of a worker no doubt, his skin was rough and calloused in places. But, she didn't mind it, she loved the contrast between their skins.

Slowly he placed soft kisses along her belly, kissing up in a line from her belly button to the middle of her breasts. He wanted to kiss every single inch of her, touch every inch of her skin because who knew when he'd wake up. He wanted all of her, every single bit of her.

Shuddering a bit as she looked up at him. Resting her hands on the back of his neck, moving her fingers up to intertwine with his hair, gripping it slowly as she pulled him up to her. Leaning to claim his lips again, shuddering again slowly at the contact. Every bit of her skin that touched his felt like it was on fire for more and more. Her whole body wanted him, and she wasn't sure where it was coming from, but she was alright with it.

Gently he leaned back from the kiss, reaching to slip his fingers along her sides, hooking them in her underwear and pulling them down her long legs, letting them drop to the floor. The sight of her made his pants painfully tight. Looking up at her face, swallowing a little. "A-Are you sure about this...m'lady?" he asked slowly.

She let out a sigh at what he'd called her. Leaning to sit up, she kissed his bottom lip. "If you call me m'lady or majesty one more time then no. My name is Belle. Please, Rumplestiltskin. Its just you and me here, nobody else." she said, her hands moving to cup his face, rubbing his cheeks with her thumbs. "I want you. I don't want a facade, a fake self. I want who you are.." she told him, kissing his bottom lip slowly.

Listening to her voice, he let out a sigh, resting his hands on her elbows and kissing her top lip in response, brushing his nose against hers and closing his eyes just halfway. "Is...is this what you brought me here for?"

She blushed and leaned back, letting her hands fall from his face and shaking her head. "No. I'm not sure why I brought you here. I just...I saw you and felt something. I haven't felt something in years, Rumplestiltskin. I haven't felt a thing since my marriage. And...and when I looked at you, I _felt_ things. I _felt_ something stir inside me. Why are you analyzing this right now?" she asked.

Slowly moving her hand down to untie his pants, sliding one hand into them and moving to grasp his hardened length, causing him to gasp and close his eyes at the feel of her hand on him. Her free hand slowly pushed his pants down as she stroked him with one hand. If he wasn't standing at full attention before, he surely was now.

Leaning up, she kissed along the side of his neck and to his ear, nibbling on it slowly. "Make me _feel_, Rumple. Please." she whispered.

He let out a slow sigh of contentment at the feel of her against him. Shifting his feet to push out of his shoes as he rest his hands on her shoulders. Gently pushing her back so she laid back against the table. Climbing onto it, he moved his hands down to rest on her thighs, pulling her legs tighter around his waist.

At first he was hesitant. He'd never felt like an exceptionally good lover when it came to Mila. She seemed to view sex with him as a necessary evil, and they rarely ever were together like that anymore.

Slipping his hand down to gently cup her, his fingers moving over her folds and feeling her wetness, feeling how slick her folds were, hearing her moan at his touch. Slowly he slid one finger easily inside her, feeling her tight passage grip his finger, making him moan in and of itself. "G-Gods...you're so wet..."

Wiggling her hips slowly, she opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Please...I need you. I feel like I'll explode if I don't have you..." she whispered slowly, desperately.

His fingers slid from her, moving to take ahold of himself and position against her opening. Taking in a breath, he pushed his hips forward. Letting himself go, he rested both hands on the table at either side of her head with a loud moan at the feel of the tip of him push inside her.

Just that little bit felt better than anything he'd ever felt before, it felt like heaven, and he could understand her now about feeling something. Slowly he pushed his hips forward to sheath himself fully in her wet warmth, lowering his head to rest his forehead against her shoulder, closing his eyes tightly. Being held within her felt like heaven, it felt so perfect.

"B-Belle.." he moaned.

"Rumple!" she replied. Moving her arms around his neck, she moved her fingers to grip his back a little. Closing her eyes tightly, bright lights flashed behind her eyes at the feeling of it. She felt like she would burst.

Tilting her head back against the table, she shifted her hips to thrust against him, wanting desperately for him to move a little. And he complied, starting to move his hips to thrust in and out of her, his fingers gripping at the table underneath them.

Her fingers gripped his back, nails scraping along his skin as she moaned out, feeling him move inside her. She'd never given herself to any other man besides her husband, and she'd only done that because it was the necessary evil of being married. Gaston repulsed her and the act of sex was never something she enjoyed. Truthfully whenever she had sex with Gaston she'd just hope it ended soon. But, being here underneath Rumplestiltskin, she never wanted it to end. The sensations he caused through her body with each thrust of his hips set her afire.

Leaning her head up, she claimed his lips with hers in a hungry kiss, her teeth nipping at his bottom lip to get him to open them. Once his lips parted, she kissed him more fully, pressing her tongue into his mouth to taste him. Never had she even thought to put her tongue in Gaston's mouth, she didn't revel at the taste of him the way she did Rumplestiltskin. The spinner was like an addiction she was quickly acquiring a taste for.

His tongue moved out to press along hers slowly, mingling with hers in an almost fight for dominance. Finally he won the battle, their tongues retreating back into her mouth as he explored her.

And in a moment he leaned back, breaking the kiss, causing her to whine. Hearing her whine, he thrust his hips harder so she'd gasp and moan out. Tilting his head to kiss her ear. "Moan for me, my beauty. Moan my name. Scream it. You're _mine_, Belle. Scream it." he whispered in hushed breaths, not even sure where the words were coming from since they were almost automatic.

Placing slow kisses down the side of her neck, his hands moved off the table to rest on her sides, running up and cupping her breasts, feeling her soft smooth skin in his hands, his thumb tweaking her nipples slowly.

"G-Gods! Rumple! Rumple-stilt-skin!" she moaned out loudly, tilting her head back, knowing nobody else could hear them, but at that moment she didn't care. Pressing her head against the table, she bit her bottom lip while she moaned out, her legs gripping his waist. "F-Faster! Faster, Rumple! Harder!" she moaned.

But he purposely slowed down his thrusts, gritting his teeth in effort not to pound himself into her. "You...you know what I want. Scream it."

She whined, gripping his back tightly. Oh his back would have scratches on it when they were over, that was for sure. "I-I'm yours! Gods Rumple, you bastard! I'm yours! Pleaseee move faster..."

A smirk formed over his lips as he thrust his hips harder and faster than he'd been doing before. Resting his hands on the table at either side of her and bringing himself up a little so he could look down at her through half closed eyes. She was the best sight he'd ever seen, especially like this, writhing underneath him, moaning, panting, her hips thrusting to meet his. And knowing it was him that put the look of pure pleasure on her face made him swell with a sort of male pride.

She could feel something build up within her and it made her movements more urgent to reach whatever it was. She'd never really had a climax with Gaston. She'd always been too busy thinking about how she wished it was over. So, she wasn't too sure what it felt like, that this building up.

Slowly her fingers slid over his shoulders and down his arms to grip him there as she moaned out loudly, moaning out jumbled versions of his name, bits and pieces of the syllables rolling off her tongue.

As his hips thrust, the feel of him moving in and out of her like that was slowly pushing her over the edge. She moaned out loudly, nearly screaming as she fell over the peak of her climax, hitting hard, making her entire body shudder and tremble with the force. Her eyes closed tightly and her mouth fell open just a little bit.

Her already tight walls tightened even more around his length, making him grit his teeth with effort to hold back his own climax. He wanted her to ride out her own before he hit his. Shifting up a little, his hands moved to take ahold of her thighs. Slipping his fingers up to grasp her knees, pulling her legs up so they went over his shoulders, her heels resting at the back of his neck, giving him an even better angle than he'd had before.

The movement, combined with her climax, made her feel so, so good. Her whole body shuddered as she moaned and screamed out her pleasure. Her fingers had to let his arms go, so she rest her hands flat on the table, her fingers gripping at the wood beneath her. "O-Oh gods yes! Yes! F-f-faster!" she moaned out, feeling his length hit something deep within her she hadn't even known existed.

Her eyes rolled back beneath closed lids as white lights fluttered behind them as she felt him thrust hard and fast inside her. Chewing on her bottom lip slowly, muffling her moans a little, she breathed hard. "C-C-Come, Rumple! Gods please..." she muttered without realizing that she was even speaking.

Hearing her words, he thrust hard inside her, hearing skin slap against skin as he moved, mixed with moans from them both, small screams coming from the woman beneath him. Thrusting in hard, pressing all the way inside her to hit his own climax, spilling his seed deep inside her.

The feeling caused her toes to curl as she screamed out, arching her back a little, grinding her heels into the backs of his shoulders hard, her fingers gripping at the table to no avail. White lights exploded behind her closed eyes, biting her bottom lip as she shuddered. And she felt something, something different and knowing about this. Her body knew his she was sure.

Slowly slipping her legs down from his shoulders, his arms catching them as he held her, breathing hard on top of her.

She shuddered, biting her bottom lip as she saw flashes of images behind her eyes. Memories of him, his face, always near her wearing various different types of clothing in different environments. She shuddered hard at the strength of each wave. Arching her back and tilting her head back slowly as she saw him. And thats when she knew; he was her beast, the one that should share her curse with her. She'd loved him a thousand times before, and she'd love him thousands more times.

As each memory settled down, she took in a breath as she lowered her back against the wood underneath her, opening her eyes just halfway. Each memory was but an image, a picture taken within each bit. Images of him smiling at her, of him on top of her, of him sitting at a desk, of him sleeping in the same bed next to her. And she wondered if he saw them too.

Smiling up at him as he opened his eyes, seeing him return her soft smile with one of her own. Slowly he lowered her legs so they were around his waist, still joined intimately with each other. Leaning down, he brushed his nose against hers and kissed her gently. Slipping his hands along the table so his arms moved underneath hers, picking them up a little.

She responded by moving her arms around his neck, leaning up and kissing him back, closing her eyes halfway. Running her fingers along the back of his neck just gently, slipping her fingers up into his hair. "That was...amazing..." she whispered slowly.

Nodding in agreement, he kissed her as he held close to her. "It...it was." he said, panting just softly. A sheen layer of sweat covered both of their skins. His skin was tanned and looked so dark next to her pale velvety skin.

She was dying to ask him, to ask if he'd seen, if he remembered, but she wasn't sure. Chewing on her bottom lip, she rested her forehead against his and closed her eyes halfway. "Did...did you see it?"

"See what?" he asked lazily as he leaned back to kiss the side of her neck. Shifting to slowly pull himself out of her, shuddering a little and moving to lay next to her against the table. There was barely enough room for the both of them to lay there.

Shifting slowly, Belle laid on her side, cuddling up into his side as she felt his arm move around her shoulders, looking up at his face as she rest her chin against his chest, her hand just next to her head. "Memories?"

He shook his head and took in a deep breath, running his fingers along her shoulder and arm slowly. "No." he said, looking down at her face. "What kind of memories?"

Sighing a little, she pouted and shook her head, resting her cheek against his chest. "Nevermind it." she said. Running her fingers along his chest, drawing small patterns on his skin. "I've never felt so amazing..." she whispered, glancing up at his face. "Come stay in the castle, Rumplestiltskin. Take the job I offer..."

Looking down at her, he sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "Is _this_ the job you wanted me to do, Princess?" he asked, a strange hint of anger in his voice at the idea. For some reason he wasn't content with just being an employee to her, and he didn't want to be paid for sex. That was just dirty. Besides, he was still technically a married man. No, he wanted her to be with him because she wanted to be, not because she liked the sex. Though, the sex was amazing, and he'd love to be with her again and again, but not for a job, not like that.

Hearing him, she pouted and shook her head. "No, its just a bonus." she said with a smile, looking up at his face and leaning to kiss him softly. "_This_ was because I wanted to." she said. Shifting and sitting up a little, one hand resting on the table to hold her up as she looked down at him. "I told you...I wasn't sure what drew me to you. Its not like that, Rumplestiltskin. Its not a job. But...but I don't want you to leave, I want to be able to see you again. How else can I if you don't work in the castle? I'm not in town often you know.."

Looking up at her, he ran his hand up her side. Gently moving his hands to take her hips, tugging her over. And she moved to sit up on top of him, straddling him and looking down at his face with a smile. "Say it again."

She laughed a it. "Say what again."

"That you want me...that you don't want me to leave..."

Smiling, she ran her fingers along his chest as she looked down at his face. "I want you, Rumplestiltskin. I don't want you to leave. I want you over...and over...and over again." she said. Shifting her hips a little to grind against him a little, causing him to moan, his hands moving to rest on her hips.

"Mm, love, I need to recover for a bit." he said.

Giggling a bit, she leaned down to kiss him before she sat back up, brushing her hair over one shoulder as she looked down at him. "You're not just a job, Rumple. You're more than that. But I need you to accept a job here...please..."

"What of your husband?" he asked, looking away a little, his hands still resting on her hips.

She sighed, reaching to rest one hand on his cheek, moving his face so he'd look up at her again and giving him a small smile. "My husband is a buffoon and idiot. Its an arranged marriage, he's too much of a dolt." she said with a sigh. Letting his face go and looking down at his chest. "I'm not sure what else we could do other than you working here in the castle..." she said, her eyes raising to look at his face. "You could have a good, comfortable life here...with me." she suggested, almost a little afraid he'd turn her down. After all, he did have a wife and child.

Rubbing her hips slowly, nodding as he listened to her. "And of my family? Belle, I don't see how this could work.."

"But it could!" she protested with a small pout. "There are servants quarters here in the castle, on the grounds..." she said with a sigh, starting to shift to move off of him, slipping down off the table and grabbing her underwear, slowly pulling it on. "Its no matter...you have your wife. I forget some people get to marry for love..."

Looking after her he sighed, reaching to rest one hand on her shoulder as he sat up. Shifting to sit at the edge of the table, pulling her back into his chest as he moved his arms around her waist, running his fingers along her stomach. Kissing the back of her ear slowly as he held her, shaking his head. "Not always. Mine was not for love. I was married very young, she even younger. She was promised to me when she was born. She detests me. If we did not have a son...I would run away with you in a heart beat. I would leave this province, take you where I could make you my wife." he whispered softly, nuzzling his nose against her ear.

Closing her eyes halfway, she cuddled into his back and rest her hands over his, gripping them a little. "Please...take the job I offer...come to the castle, bring your family if you must..." she said, turning her head and looking back at him, closing her eyes halfway. "I cannot go back to not feeling anything, not now that I've found you..." she said.

Moving in his arms so she faced him, moving her arms up around his neck and leaning her forehead against his. She could easily make him remember them, make him know. But, she wasn't sure she wanted to bring him into the same curse she shared. Her soul had loved his through this curse for thousands of years, and she wasn't sure she wanted him to suffer in the darkness with her. She hoped she could be content with just having him without the cursed bits.

Nodding slowly, he smiled as he kissed her slowly. "Aye, I shall take the job m'lady." he said as he kissed her again slowly, running his fingers up and down her back. The job would surely provide better for his family, it might make Mila happy to live within the castle walls.

Belle smiled, leaning and kissing his bottom lip. "Good. I'm glad to have you aboard." she said, running her fingers along his shoulders.

His arms moved around her, pulling her up close to him, her chest flush against his as he leaned to kiss along one of her shoulders. He never thought he'd be this happy, and he was happy with her, feeling her close to him like this. He wanted every little piece of her to be his, but for now he would settle for what he could have.

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A/N: Fin! :-). The next chapter will be up hopefully soon. I'm going to go between working on a chapter for this one, and for my other one A Different Tale.

I hope ya'll enjoyed! Read and review, let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey guys, heres chapter two. But, before I go on, I'd like to respond to a review someone left to my story. It was left under Guest so I couldn't reply, so here is my reply.

Someone was upset that Belle called Rumple a bastard in the first chapter. And, I'd like to say that it was obviously said in the heat of the moment. She wasn't actually saying he was a bastard, but just kind of frustrated with what was going on. I think you didn't get the context of what it meant, and also I haven't had any other mentions about the use of that word in the chapter.

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Chapter 2:

_She was running, darkness surrounded her as she ran down a seemingly endless hall. Her hands gripped her skirt up so she wouldn't trip on it. Glancing behind her a little before she looked forward again, breathing hard as she ran._

_She wasn't certain what she was running for, or running to either. Darkness surrounded her as she ran, she couldn't even see the walls of the hallway she ran down._

_But as she ran, things became clearer. The walls filled in slowly and were more of cave walls than actual hallway walls. It seemed all very primitive there, the stone walls rough around the edges. Finally she came up to an opening in the wall with bamboo covering where the door should be. It was easily pushed to one side and she stepped up to it, slowly moving the draping out of her way, stepping into the room. Looking around, she took in the surroundings._

_It was pretty primitive in the room, but it was large. Candles lit around the room casting a strange light around. Looking around, she noticed that it was oddly organized, and there was a large bed laying on the floor by the one side of the room._

_A figure laid in the center of the bed, and her heart skipped a beat as she gripped her hands into tight fists, almost afraid to walk towards the bed._

_Walking through the doorway and towards the bed, her hands trembling as she bit her bottom lip lightly. Moving up towards the bed, she saw his face, ashen with what might be sickness, his eyes were closed and he was breathing hard, his hand resting against his stomach overtop of the covers. And something was different about his hand. His skin was turning darker with small golden specks on it, his nails darkening._

_Tears welled in her eyes as she shifted to sit against the bed, moving to take his hand, feeling him jerk it back and his eyes open wide, staring up at her in almost terror. "G-Go!" he demanded._

_Shaking her head quickly, she moved to grab his hand again, gripping it tightly. "No! I refuse. I refuse, my love. I will not leave you. What has that sorcerer done to you? Please..." she said, gripping his fingers, bringing them up and kissing his knuckles gently, looking down at his face._

_"A...a curse, Belle. Magic...gods Belle it feels so strong..." he said, gripping her fingers and looking up at her face, giving her a small weak smile. "I think its killing me..." he muttered._

_Shaking her head, she looked down. "Its not killing you, its changing you..." she said, bringing his hand down to rest on her stomach slowly. It wasn't completely obvious at first, but her stomach was slightly rounded out, just beginning to show in her pregnancy. "Please don't change completely. We need you, Rumple..." she said slowly, looking up at his face._

_"This curse...this curse will change both of us, love...all of us." he said, looking down at her stomach, shaking his head. "You should...you should take our child and leave."_

_"I cannot!" she said, gripping his hand tightly, looking up at his face. "We're in this together." she said. Sighing as she reached over to the small table sitting next to the bed. Opening it and bringing out the strangely shaped dagger, bringing it up and looking at it. Running her thumb over the names on the blade, looking up at him. "My name is on here too..."_

_On the blade it read 'Rumplestiltskin & Belle'_

_He gave a small, weak smile and looked down at her stomach. "It appears so. I'm sorry...you're stuck with a foolish old man for eternity..."_

_Pouting to him, she shook her head. "You're not foolish, and you're not old. I love you."_

_"Please, I'm nearly fifteen years your senior." he said, looking up at her._

_Slowly she leaned down to kiss him gently before sitting up, rubbing his hand slowly. "But I love you. You're the father of my child, and we'll get through this together..."_

_Nodding a little, he closed his eyes again, slipping his hand to drop from her stomach. "I'd still prefer you to leave..."_

_She gave him a soft, sure smile and leaned down to kiss his lips gently, brushing her nose against his before sitting up. "I'll never leave you, my love. Never."_

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Belle sat up in her bed, breathing in hard at the power of the memory that had been her dream. One hand moved to rest over her chest, feeling her heart pounding underneath her skin. Taking in a deep breath, shifting to sit up a little in bed and glancing around, noticing Gaston had already gotten up for the day. What on earth was the time?

Glancing towards the window, slowly she slid out of her bed, resting her feet on the floor and walking up to it. Raising her hands to pull apart the curtains and then reaching to unlock the window, slowly pushing it open and letting the crisp fall air breeze through her window, brushing over her flushed skin.

Resting her hands on the window sil, she leaned against it, tilting her head down and letting her hair fall down to shadow her face a little, letting her fingers grip against the cobblestone. That memory had been so powerful, she could see him, feel his hand on her, feel his lips against hers. It was overwhelming really.

Raising her head up, she looked out over the yard. From her room she had a nice view of Avonlea, but she also had a nice view of the servants quarters just a bit past the court yard. Leaning forward, her elbows resting against the windows ledge as she looked over, her eyes scanning through the people that seemed so small. She knew Rumplestiltskin would be amongst them, but she couldn't make out people from the angle she was at.

She wanted desperately for him to hold her, to hug her through the memories sweeping through her one at a time. Now that she'd found her other half it was like a dam unlocked. But, right now, he didn't share her curse, he wasn't in the proper place he should be. He'd have to remember, she'd have to make him remember.

Closing her eyes halfway as she sighed. Could she bring that to him? Could she make her true love remember all the things she was? Not all the memories were good ones, but a lot were.

A small smile crossed her lips as she thought. Standing up straight, she rest one hand on the windows ledge, her other hand ghosting over her stomach in a soft touch, looking down at it. They'd had children each time they'd lived. And each time those children had been the light of her life. She mildly wondered how they'd all done after her and Rumplestiltskin were sent from that life. Had they lived a good, happy life?

Her fingers gripped her dress as she looked up, taking in a deep breath. Their last life was taken from them tragically, and she couldn't quite remember how. Her brain hurt whenever she thought of their death the last time, and she knew something wasn't right about how the'd left their children.

Shaking her head slowly, she shifted to push herself to stand up straight and turn around, leaning back against the windows ledge. She loved Rumplestiltskin with all her heart, she had since the beginning of time, since the days when people still lived in caves. But it'd never been her in this position, in the position where the other did not remember them. It'd always been Rumplestiltskin who awoken them, and now she was at a loss for words. How could she be awake before he was? There was so much she didn't understand about this, about their curse still.

A lot of things were a little fuzzy still, but she did remember, and she both loved and hated it. She wished it was clearer and didn't make her head hurt. At least it wasn't a nightmare that plagued her that night.

Looking up when the door opened and a maid came in, leaning against the windows ledge still, resting her hands on it down beside her. The maid look startled as she looked up and noticed that Belle was up. The maid was a little older and had been Belle's personal maid for as long as she could remember. She'd once been Belle's nanny, but she was too old for a nanny now-a-days, so she just called the woman her maid.

"O-Oh...m'lady! You're awake! Thank goodness, you were in such a deep sleep. Come come, I'll help you dress for the day. Your husband will be happy to hear you've awoken." the maid said quickly, walking into her closet to get her dress out.

Watching her a little, Belle tilted her head to one side. "Just what time is it?" she asked, moving to stand up straight and stepping towards the bed slowly.

"'Tis almost noon m'lady. Sir Gaston was quite worried when you slept through breakfast. Are you feeling well, Princess?"

Belle nodded a little. "Quite well. I just have a headache. Can you get me something light to wear? I don't feel like wearing too many layers today."

"Aye m'lady." the maid said, picking out a beautiful blue dress that fell to the floor in waves. It was like a lot of the dresses she wore, but had a few less skirts than many of them did, and instead of sleeves its fabric cut off just past her shoulders.

Slowly Belle moved to untie her night dress, slowly pulling the slim fabric up and off, tossing it to lay across her bed. Once the dress was off the maid came over to help Belle put on her day dress. Slipping the fabric over her head and then bringing it to make sure it went into place. And then she went to work on lacing up the back of the dress, making sure to pull it tight but not too tight.

And Belle watched her halfway through the mirror. "Might I ask you something? A...question?"

"You might ask anything of me, m'lady."

"Say...say you loved someone...very, very much. But they were happy...had a family, without you. They'd forgotten about you. Do...do you make them remember?" she asked, glancing towards the window. She could almost feel the strange look the maid was giving her. Shaking her head, she chuckled a little. "I'm reading entirely too many books, I am just simply curious..." Belle said quickly to cover her tracks.

Her maid sighed and shrugged. "Depends m'lady. If I truly loved him, I would want him to be happy, whether it be with me or not. Perhaps it is right for this man to remain where he is." she said as she laced up Belle's dress. "True love is a strange thing, very few people acquire it. But...but if it were true love, than he would remember, he would never forget."

"Even if its a curse that made him forget? Say the two were pawns in a curse, and one remembers, but the other does not. Should you pull your love back with you?" Belle asked, chewing on her bottom lip.

The maid laughed a little. "Curses? What type of books are you reading, majesty?" she asked, shaking her head and letting out a sigh as she finished lacing up Belle's dress, tying it tightly. "No. If I were cursed, I would most definitely not want my true love to share the curse with me."

"So...you'd suffer alone, in silence?" Belle asked with a small frown. She was looking for some sort of justification for waking Rumplestiltskin.

"Aye, m'lady, I would." she said, looking up at Belle. "We do not wish our true loves to be cursed. But, look at us speaking of true love and curses. You are quite the dreamer, Madame Belle." she said, gently taking a brush and starting to brush Belle's unruly bedtime curls.

But Belle slowly leaned away from the maid, walking towards the window and resting her fingers against the ledge, leaning against it and looking out of it. "Please go. I'm afraid I shall not be too good company today..."

Looking after her, the maid sighed. "Your husband and father would probably most welcome your presence at lunch...and you must be starving." she said. Walking up towards Belle, she gently brushed Belle's hair behind her ear, looking at her face. "Please tell me what troubles you m'lady. This is not just a story, is it? Have you fallen in love?" she asked. The old maid knew that Belle could not have been in love with Gaston, and she'd been so afraid when the young Belle changed those years ago she married Gaston.

Belle looked up towards her maid with a small, weak smile. "Perhaps..."

"And you believe yourself to be cursed?"

"Isn't that what I am?" she asked with a sigh, looking away again and out the window. "Cursed to live a lie. A lie that I detest and that I hate. Do you have any idea what its like...being married to a man you cannot stand? Knowing you love someone else, but not knowing whom? And then finally finding that whom and wanting to desperately to have them but you are unable to?" she asked, shaking her head. "I am the Princess of Avonlea...and my life is devoted to my people, not to myself..."

"Oh Belle..." the older woman said. Reaching up and cupping Belle's chin, bringing her face to look at her. "I do wish your mother were here...she would know what to do, to say to you. I am sorry, sweet Belle. I wish nothing but happiness for you. The heart dies a slow and painful death...and...and I'm afraid there will be nothing left of the sweet little girl I helped to raise..."

Looking at the older woman, Belle shook her head and gave her a sad smile. "Oh I know about the hearts death. I wish my mother were here too...but theres nothing she could do." she said, looking away and moving her arms to hug herself.

"Who is it?" the maid asked, watching Belle as she slowly moved to brush her fingers through the younger girls hair, trying to brush it a little while she could.

A smile spread on the Princesses face, looking towards her maid. "He's a peasant. He lives here on the castle grounds now. You must think me crazy, but what I feel for him is so, so real..."

"A peasant?" the maid asked, shaking her head. "No, m'lady, of course I don't think you crazy. Love is blind. Does this man have a name?"

Nodding slowly, Belle sighed and closed her eyes halfway. "His name is Rumplestiltskin. He's...he's the new spinner that I had brought in from town..."

Looking at her for a moment, the maid seemed to start connecting the dots as Belle spoke. Sighing a little and shaking her head. "Oh Belle, your head is truly in the clouds. What will you do? Run away with a spinner?" she asked as if it were the most ridiculous notion she'd heard.

The tone of her voice made Belle pout, looking up at her and leaning back from the older woman's touches. "What I do is my own business! Please, leave." she said, looking out the window and sighing a little.

"I do hope you know what you're getting yourself into, m'lady. And I do wish I could help you..."

Thinking for a moment, Belle reached to grab the woman's wrist before she could leave. Looking up at her with desperate eyes, chewing on her bottom lip. "You _can_ help me!" she announced.

"I can? How so?" she asked, tilting her head to one side as she looked at the Princess.

"Go fetch him, fetch Rumplestiltskin. Have him brought here. I will take care of the rest.."

Narrowing her eyes, the older maid was skeptical as she spoke. "I'm not sure majesty...I don't...think I can do that..."

Rolling her own eyes, Belle sighed and gripped her hand a little. "Please. Please fetch him. You will not get in trouble I assure you. I need to speak with him..."

"Speak with him? About what?"

"That is none of your concern. Please, do this for me. I'd order you to, but I want to ask this of you, as a favor. Please. I'm not able to be with him...I'd like to be able to speak with him, set my mind at least a little at ease..."

Sighing a little, the older woman nodded. "Aye, mistress...I'll fetch him. I'll have him bring lunch to your room so nobody questions it..." she said, standing up and starting to walk towards the door.

Belle smiled brightly at the woman and nodded. "Thank you! Thank you so, so so much..." she said. She'd see Rumplestiltskin, she'd speak to him, feel his arms around her. Perhaps that would make her feel better.

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Rumplestiltskin was working on the spinning wheel when the maid came to find him. Looking up at the older woman as she walked to him. "Rumplestiltskin?" she asked.

He nodded slowly. "Aye. Who asks?"

"I am the Princesses maid. We'll need your help upstairs this afternoon. We're quite short staffed you see..." she said in an attempt to make an excuse for Rumplestiltskin to be upstairs.

Looking at her oddly, he tilted his head to one side. "And you ask a spinner? I am no waiter or cleaner..."

"No no, I just need you to bring the Princess her lunch, ensure she is well. You see Princess isn't feeling well this morning...and I've been asked to go to town and fetch her remedies." the woman explained.

At the sound of the Princess being sick he almost looked visibly alarmed, trying to hide it. Nodding quickly, he moved to stand up. "Well..in that case...I'll do it." he said, brushing his hands off a little bit and walking with the woman towards the kitchens, mildly listening to her as she spoke about what to do and gave him general direction.

When Rumplestiltskin arrived upstairs, standing just outside the Princesses room, he took in a breath. He knew she'd sent specifically for him, why else would he be hand-picked by her staff? Holding the tray in both hands, he carefully balanced it to reach up and knock on the door.

"Come in." her voice chimed from inside.

Opening the door and taking the tray with both hands, stepping in and moving to press the door closed with his foot, looking up towards Belle.

And he found her sitting on her windows ledge, looking out over the bustling people below around the castle grounds. Looking back, her face lit up at the sight of him, a smile spreading across her lips. "Rumple...it's you." she said happily.

He nodded to her. "Aye, m'lady. I heard you weren't well...I was concerned.."

"What did I tell you about formalities?" she asked sweetly. Standing up, she motioned to the table in the room. "You may put the tray there." she instructed.

And he nodded, following her instructions. Resting the tray on the table and on top of the tray was a lunch plate, with a pot of hot tea and a cup. Belle preferred tea over the ale or mead the men drank. She couldn't stand the alcohol really, and tea was the biggest part of what she drank, the water not being safe to drink all the time.

Smiling to him, she nodded. "Thank you." she said. Stepping over to him, moving to rest one hand on his shoulder, her other hand running up and brushing her fingers over his cheek, smiling. "How are you liking the castle grounds?"

"Very well. It's an adjustment. Mila and Bae seem to enjoy it." he said, looking up at her face. "Are...are you sure you're okay? The one maid said you were sick..." he asked, concern filling his eyes.

She only gave him a smile and nodded. "I am very alright now. Now that you're here." she said. Slowly moving her arms up and moving them around his neck. Leaning forward, she brushed her nose against his, letting her eyes close halfway and taking in a deep breath of him. "I've missed you..." she said in a soft whisper.

Slowly he moved his arms around her waist as she came so close to him. Smiling a little, looking into her eyes as he rubbed her back. "I was beginning to think I'd dreamt our encounter..."

"Need I remind you?" she asked, smiling. Leaning up and pressing her lips to his in a slow kiss. Closing her eyes and tilting her head to one side as she kissed him. Her lips moved slowly against his, tongue moving out to brush along his bottom lip, feeling his lips part for her.

Kissing him was always amazing, that part she remembered. Kissing him now was just as amazing, feeling his tongue move along hers, tasting his lips and mouth. But now it was mixed with something else; small sparks of magic. And she knew he was still securely stuck behind the facade of this life, he didn't remember, and he wouldn't until she awoke him.

Each life they'd lived they'd awoken differently, but it was usually him first, and he'd awake her. But this time she'd disrupted the balance by seeking out the power to save her from her marriage to Gaston. And this time as she kissed him, a spark went over her mind, unlocking something, a small memory.

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_"GO! Run Elsa, run! You too Anna." Belle shouted, looking at two young girls. One looked about nine years old, while the other looked about seven. Resting her hands on the older girls shoulders, gripping them. The girl had beautiful blue eyes and long blonde hair that was done in a braid that fell over her shoulder. "Take care of Anna. No matter what, Elsa. Take care of her."_

_"But...but Mama..." Elsa muttered, looking up at her mother with fear in her eyes._

_"Just do as I say! Your father will find you, I promise you that. Go." she said, pushing her two daughters to the back door. Glancing back, she heard a bang at the front door, people hitting it, yelling out her name._

_When the door finally came down, she glanced back to the back door, seeing it open, her two daughters gone. Looking up at the men who barged in. "There she is, the witch! Take her!" one of the men yelled._

_Stepping back once, she shook her head. "No...please, Marcus...please you know I didn't do this..." she muttered. But, she was technically a witch, she did have magic. A magic that she had been trying to control for many lives. She finally had a sense of normalcy in this life, and she wanted to live through it._

_But the man grabbed her by her hair, making her yelp and yanking her forward and towards the door. Another man grabbed her wrists to tie behind herself tightly, feeling the rope bite into her skin as she was pulled forward with such force to almost make her stumble._

_She could use her magic to get away, but if she did that she'd hurt them, and her daughters would be in trouble. Besides, she didn't want to hurt anyone anymore, she was so tired of hurting people. These people she'd grown up with, she knew them._

_As she was dragged towards the middle of town, she looked around pleadingly, looking up at one of the men dragging her. "P-P-Peter please...you know I am innocent of this..your wife, Mara, she'll vouch for me...what shall she say of you doing this?" she asked._

_The mans hands gripped her arms tighter. "She will be proud I killed a witch."_

_"What of my children? Please Peter...please."_

_He shot her a cold glance before looking forward. "Those two are born of a witch. The oldest, Elsa, has already sold her soul to the devil. We will find them."_

_Glancing behind her, seeing the men still in her home, probably tearing it apart looking for the two. Tears rimmed her eyes as she prayed they'd gotten away, that Elsa had heeded her words._

_Before she knew it, she was hauled up to the middle of town. Looking up, she could see the stake positioned in the town square, the area where they often burned witches at the stake. Witch fever was rushing through Europe, many innocents died because of it. Who would have thought they'd actually get someone guilty of magic on that stake._

_Tears stung her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Feeling her hands being untied and pulled forward, tied again and pulling up above her head tightly. Looking forward stubbornly, she held an emotionless face as she looked forward._

_Once the fire burnt her skin, she bit back her scream at first, but after a few moments, she couldn't help but scream out, her eyes closing tightly, tilting her head back against the stake she was tied to. It was the worst pain, the fire biting into her pale skin starting at her feet._

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The pain brought her back. Belle still had her lips locked with Rumplestiltskin's as she saw the memory flash behind her eyes. It seemed to last longer in her mind than it did in actuality. And with the power of it, she jolted away from the man who held her. Gasping out for air, she leaned to bite into her pointer finger, her hand clenched in a fist.

Falling to her knees off to the side, her other hand rest on the floor as she let out muffled yells into her hand, closing her eyes tightly. It felt so real...the flames felt so, so real.

Instantly Rumplestiltskin moved to his knees by her. "B-Belle! Belle what...whats the matter? What did I do?!" he asked, panicked as he moved his hands to rest on her shoulders.

His touch made her jolt. Falling sideways a little to sit on the floor, looking up at his face with wide eyes, her beautiful blue orbs filled with fear and pain. "R-Rumple...?" she asked.

Nodding slowly, he rubbed her shoulder slowly. "Yeah, its me. Whats the matter?" he asked, concern laden on his face as he looked at her. "Did I hurt you?" he finally asked, the question being on his mind since she jolted away from him.

She shook her head, looking down. "No...no you didn't..." she said slowly. Moving her fingers up to look at her hands. The fire had felt so real, like the flames licked at her skin. Well, it did, once upon a time.

Accessing the memory, her eyes widened as she shot a look up to Rumplestiltskin. "Oh my god. Elsa...Anna..." she muttered. Pushing herself up and scrambling towards the desk, holding her dress in one hand and moving her fingers over the magically locked drawer, unlocking it and pulling it opened.

"Elsa? Anna? Who is that? Belle are you sure you're well? You're scaring me." he said. Moving to stand up as he watched her look through the drawer almost frantically.

Nodding as she looked. "I'm well." she muttered. Finding the only book in existence on the Dark One curse, the one she'd learned her spells from. Bringing it out and resting it on the table, searching through it. The book was heavy and black with writing that looked like it was in another language. Well, it was in another language.

Walking up to her, Rumplestiltskin grabbed her wrists and pulled her around to face him. "Stop! What is going on? Please tell me, I'm worried about you now..."

Looking up at him, she let out a sigh and shook her head. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you. You should...you should go be with your wife...I want you to be happy, Rumple. And being with me will not make you happy..." she said with a sigh. Remembering would not make him happy. She could only imagine his heart break when he came back home to find his wife had been burned as a witch.

"I can't. I'm happiest with you. I think about you all the time, I can't get you out of my mind. I know it was only once...but...but I want to be with you over and over again, I want to love you, Belle...I can't explain what I feel exactly..."

Sighing a little, she leaned back from his hands and leaned back against the desk, looking down. "I can. Its a curse, Rumple. A curse you want nothing to do with, trust me. It's ruined our lives before, many...many times before.." she said.

"A curse? Those aren't real..."

"But they are!" she interrupted, looking up at him slowly. "This is not how it normally happens! And if you remember...if you remember..." she said, looking away from him again, tears stinging her eyes as she remembered the look of her daughters face staring at her in fear. Elsa. Her name had been Elsa. "If you remember then you'll live with what I live with. And I care too much for you to make you do that..."

His hands moved up to grab her shoulders gently, bringing her so she'd face him better. "How what normally happens? You're not making any sense. If theres something for me to remember, then help me remember it!" he demanded.

Her eyes moved to meet his and she shook her head. "No. I cannot...I cannot do that to you. Go, Rumplestiltskin...I...I won't call on you again." she assured.

And he stood dumbfounded. What had happened to his sweet Belle? The girl who he'd made love to all those days ago. The girl who had just kissed him with more love than his wife ever had. "You cannot dangle this in front of me and then rip it away!" he said as he held onto her shoulders still, not too tightly though.

"Dangle what in front of you? A crazy woman who is unhappy in her marriage? It couldn't work for us anyway. Not this time. I just...I just hope next time we meet the right way..." she said, biting her bottom lip as she spoke. It was so, so hard to look up into Rumplestiltskin's face and turn him away. "Its selfish of me to want to part these memories on you..."

"Then its selfish of me to want them! Whatever it is, I want them. I want you. We...we can leave, Belle...the two of us.." he said slowly.

She gave him a weak smile and shook her head. "You have a son, Baelfire. I know you, Rumplestiltskin, you do not abandon your children. That I know well. Several lifetimes well, in fact."

His fingers gripped her shoulders a bit as if he were afraid she'd disappear if he didn't grip her a little more. Shaking his head slowly. "B-Bae can come with us...you...you'd love him, Belle. He's a sweet boy.." he said slowly.

Slowly she moved her hands up to rest on his wrists, rubbing her thumbs over his skin slowly, shaking her head and sighing. "I wouldn't doubt that he's a wonderful boy..." she muttered. Rumplestiltskin had never had a child with someone other than her, and the unfamiliar feel of jealousy swirled in her stomach, knotting it. "There is something I must do, and you must not. I'm sorry, my love, I cannot bring you into this...no. You need to be happy, you deserve it..."

His eyes widened a bit when she called him 'my love.' She loved him? They'd only met once before, been together once before. But somehow it just sort of felt like it...fit. "Bring me into what? I was happy when I was with you. What is it you're not telling me?" he asked, gritting his teeth a little in effort not to just shake the girl.

"There is a lot of things...a lot of things I do not even know yet..." she said with a sigh. Leaning back from his grip, making him let her go before she took in a deep breath, leaning more back against the desk, her butt pressing against it. "If I tell you something...you'll have to listen to me. Hold what I say as truth. Please don't think me crazy, Rumple...I'll show you the proof you need..." she offered.

Nodding slowly, he let her go, his fingers itching to touch her again. "Alright...I promise. I'll listen..." he said. Now, he was pretty curious about what was going on with her. She was acting strange, and mentioned something about a curse and loving him.

Smiling just a little, she nodded and took in a deep breath, turning around and opening the drawer, slowly taking out a long rectangular wooden box. Holding it in her fingers, her fingertips running almost lovingly against the wood. Looking up at his face slowly. "We are cursed, Rumplestiltskin. Well, actually right now I'm currently the only one cursed...I have to bring you into it. Frankly, I'm not sure how..you usually bring me into it. I feel like I'll say the wrong thing or do the wrong thing..." she said, pouting a bit as she watched the box a little.

"We were born a long, long time ago. I'm not even sure how long now..." she said, reaching one hand up to rub her temple slowly, shaking her head. "Its no matter. I don't remember it all, not yet. The...the lock on my memories isn't completely...undone." she muttered, turning her eyes up to him. "We were married. Several times in fact. But that first time...we were married, expecting a child. I was so excited when I found out I was with child, and so were you..." she said, a small smile ghosting across her lips as she leaned back against the table, almost seeming lost in her memories.

After a moment, she spoke again. "A sorcerer came to the village. Started...killing people, children, raping women, maidens..." she said with a shudder, chewing on her bottom lip. "I was afraid, I remember that much. I was afraid for our child. I didn't want to raise a child in the wake of such...evil. I must admit, I do not remember what happened, like I said my memories are not complete yet. But the last thing I remember of that life was you falling ill, something happened...the sorcerer was dead, but you were changing, _we_ were changing. You were becoming the monster that you'd help destroy..."

Looking up at him, her eyes meeting his. "I remember that is how you became the monster, the beast...and I became the only one that could tame you, your beauty you'd call me. It became quite a legend, the beauty and the beast..." she said with a chuckle, shrugging a little. "You were known as the Dark One, and I was guilty by association. Oh, we both still died, though we didn't grow old, it was strange. It was like we died without aging...we couldn't figure out how to quite stop that process. Theres still so much of this curse we both don't understand..." she said with a sigh, looking at him, seeing the look of almost disbelief in his eyes making her shoulders fall a little in defeat. "You don't believe me..."

He'd listened, and something about her tale he liked, but he wasn't sure of. Past lives? The Dark One? Magic? It was all so foreign. "So...so if this is not how this usually happens...how...does it happen?" he asked, not exactly saying he didn't believe her, but not exactly saying he believed her either.

"You usually remember first. It's different every time. You experiment with magic, and through that you find the source of our power and are awoken. I'm not sure if its fully, or like I am now. But, when you find me you usually know just what to say. I fall in love with you all over again, and then you awaken me. We're not always good people, Rumple...we're usually not. You tend to live up to the name the Dark One. You've gotten into making deals with people..." she said, looking down slowly. "You were off on a deal that day...I remember..." she said, her fingers gripping the box in her hands.

"Off on a deal on what day?" he asked. Stepping up to her, resting his hands on her shoulders and rubbing them with his thumbs slowly. "Please, Belle...if I have a past with you, if I have a future with you, I want to remember it. I want to remember every moment I'm with you..."

Tears stung her eyes as she thought about the flash of memory she'd gotten. Looking up at his face slowly, chewing on her bottom lip. "The day I died the last time. You...you usually go first, you are fifteen years my senior after all. But this time...this time I went first..."

Looking into her eyes, seeing the tears, he blinked a little in confusion. "Then how did you go first?" he asked. He wanted to believe her, he really did, and if she had a way of making him remember and believe the full tale, then he'd take it. He felt such a connection with this woman.

A small tear slid down her cheeks as her eyes stayed on his. "We...we had two daughters...Anna and Elsa...Elsa was nine, Anna was seven. You...you'd gone off on a deal, for what I don't remember right yet. But...but the village we'd settled at had turned on us, we just didn't know it yet. Stories of witchcraft ran rampant in the time we lived in. Many innocent women were accused of witchcraft, burnt at the stake, hung, stoned to death. We didn't think we had reason to fear...but oh Rumple, we did..." she said, looking down a little, tears starting to move down her cheeks as her eyes focused on the box in her hands.

But, she had to continue. "You...you'd left town...and that night...that night they came for me. They came for me and our girls. I was so terrified, I sent Elsa and Anna away. You shouldn't have gotten too far from us, you should have camped already. I...I told Elsa to find you, that you'd take care of them. And then...then they barged into our home, grabbed me, dragged me down into the town square and burnt me alive..." she said slowly, taking in a deep breath. "I...I saw it when you kissed me. I see things randomly now. When I sleep, when I'm day dreaming, and apparently kissing you brings things back too. I...I could see the fear in our little girls eyes. I could feel her under my touch. I could smell the smoke, feel the flames kiss my skin..." she said, shaking her head quickly.

"Oh Belle..." he said. Bringing her up against him and hugging her tightly, kissing the top of her head as he held her against his chest. "Oh my Belle. Please...please help me remember this. I...I don't remember, I don't...you have to know how..." he said. The way she'd spoken of the memory made his heart wrench, made something inside him fill with the greatest sadness and anger he'd ever felt. The idea of someone burning Belle, _his _Belle, his light...just tore at him._  
_

She sighed slowly as she hugged him, her arms moving around his waist as her head settled on his shoulder, shaking her head. "I only sort of remember how. I...I cannot do it yet. Because if I do it wrong then...then I might kill you. And I cannot live with myself if I kill you.." she said, looking up at his face.

"You would not kill me." he said, looking down at her. Moving his hands up to cup her cheeks and giving her a small smile. "I believe in you, my sweet Belle. You can do this." he said, rubbing her cheeks with his thumbs.

Slowly she leaned up to brush her nose against his, closing her eyes just halfway and sighing contently as she leaned up to brush her lips with his. Gently kissing him this time, tentatively. She did not want another memory like she'd gotten before.

Lightly she broke the kiss, smiling as she looked at him. Opening the box in her hands and showing him the dagger that bore her name and had room for his. "This...this is the source of our power. Our greatest weakness. The weapon you'd once killed the monster with, and thus became the monster. His curse passed over us both. This blade is our power and our weakness. I'm not sure if the monsters mate had died before you used the blade on him or not..." she said with a shrug, looking down at it.

He looked down at the blade and reached to take the box, examining the blade within. It was beautiful in a way, intricate in its design. "I..I don't remember it..." he said with a small sigh, looking up to her face. "Please...help me remember our lives, remember you..."

Smiling a little to him, she took the box and closed it, reaching to rest the box on her desk and moving her fingers up to rest on his sides. "What ever will we do, Rumple? I'm married, so are you...we cannot have our wedding, we cannot have our wedding night. Another woman even bore your children.." she said, disdain and jealousy thick in her last sentence about another woman having his children. Her fingers gripped the fabric of his shirt on his sides. She hated the idea of anyone else with her man like that.

Gently he rest his hands on the sides of her neck and smiled. "I do believe you are jealous, dearest. I do not like that Gaston being all over you, either." he said with a shrug. "We'll figure it out. Apparently, we always do." he said, leaning to kiss her again just softly. "You will help me remember. We will find our daughters. Anna and Elsa. And you will be a mother to Baelfire."

Looking at his chest, she slowly loosened her grip on his shirt, rubbing his sides. "You know...Baelfire was the name of our first child. And you named this son Baelfire too..."

"It was?" he asked curiously. "What...what was he like?"

Chuckling a bit, Belle looked up to meet his gaze. "Oh he was the most headstrong boy one would ever meet. He was brave and stubborn too. He grew into a great man, a leader. He died though..." she said, looking away a little. "He died in a battle. I...I remember that day. It was one of the worst of my life. You were so...so distraught. Our son was dead...and you blamed yourself." she said, shaking her head as she took in a breath, looking up at him. "We've had to watch our children grow around us. I only remember bits, but I do remember some of them.."

He rubbed the sides of her neck and then her shoulders, kissing her forehead and bringing her into his chest. "We'll remember. I have to remember now.." he said. He believed in curses now. The way Belle spoke of her memories made his heart wrench. She spoke of these memories with such conviction, he had to know they were true.

And they would make him remember. They had to.

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A/N: Ta-da. I do hope you guys like it. With school work building up its hard for me to write. But, I've updated both of my OUAT stories today. I've been writing these chapters simultaneously since I put them out, so enjoy.

As always, read and review, let me know what you think!


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